The one common mistake ruining your homemade pizza (and how to fix it)
Pizza dough is surprisingly one of the easiest and most rewarding recipes you can make from scratch.
To help perfect your pizza dough, we asked three of Australia’s top social media food creators for their go-to pizza dough recipes and favourite toppings.
Pizza dough is surprisingly one of the easiest and most rewarding recipes you can make from scratch. iStock
Each has been showcasing their skills at the Kingpin’s new Collins Arcade venue this month, including a signature pizza topping inspired by their favourite flavours and food obsessions.
Benjamin Townsend @yungcookgod
Benjamin Townsend, known online as Yung Cook God, is a Melbourne-based food creator known for his high-energy cooking videos, sharp humour and no-fuss approach to food – and an unlikely double life as touring rapper Ivan Ooze, having shared stages with Wu Tang Clan, Ice Cube and Azealia Banks.
Go-to pizza dough recipe and technique
The go-to pizza dough recipe and technique I’ve recently been using a pizza dough recipe I tried from Recipe Tin Eats, and it’s fantastic.
'I’ve recently been using a pizza dough recipe I tried from Recipe Tin Eats, and it’s fantastic.' Benjamin Townsend @yungcookgod
It’s simple, reliable and consistently produces a dough with the perfect balance of a crisp base and a chewy crust. The recipe uses 600g bread flour, two teaspoons instant yeast, two-and-a-half teaspoons salt, four teaspoons sugar, four tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 330ml warm water. I mix all the ingredients together until they form a rough dough, then knead it by hand for around 8–10 minutes until it’s smooth, elastic and just slightly tacky. I really enjoy doing this by hand because you can actually feel the dough transform as you work it.
Once it’s kneaded, I leave it to proof at room temperature for around one-and-a-half to two hours, or until it has doubled in size. I tend to judge it by how the dough looks rather than watching the clock.
When it’s time to shape the pizza, I always hand-stretch the dough instead of using a rolling pin. It helps preserve all those little air pockets, which gives the finished pizza a lighter, chewier crust with much better texture.
If there’s one technique I always stick to, it’s not rushing the proof. Waiting until the dough has fully doubled in size before shaping it makes a huge difference to the final result, giving the crust much better flavour and texture.
Favourite pizza topping
I love a supreme! Every bite gives you something different. It’s savoury, colourful, full of flavour and extremely satisfying.
Signature topping: Crispy Pork Belly Bánh Mì Pizza with Pickled Vegetables and Pork Crackling
I really wanted to capture the essence of Melbourne’s street food culture and draw inspiration from some of the incredible food I’ve enjoyed recently. The first idea that came to mind was a Bánh Mì-inspired pizza.
Benjamin Townsend's Banh Mi Crispy Pork Belly Pizza. Benjamin Townsend @yungcookgod
I’d never seen one brought to life before, which made it feel like the perfect opportunity to get creative and experiment with something a little different. Thankfully, it turned out even better than I imagined and was an absolute winner.
Lucy Rosenberg @food_bylucy
Lucy Rosenberg is a Melbourne-based food creator, private chef and food stylist known for her bold, flavour-forward recipes and effortlessly elevated approach to cooking. After a decade working in product design and fashion, Lucy traded it all in to follow her passion for food, and hasn’t looked back.
Go-to pizza dough recipe and technique
My go-to dough has evolved from years of trial and error, taking inspiration from Jamie Oliver, Ooni and a pizza-making class I did in Tuscany, but it’s now very much my own approach. I usually make a dough at around 65–68% hydration using 00 flour, water, salt and instant yeast. I mix everything together in my Ooni Halo Pro dough mixer, which gives me really consistent gluten development, then knead until the dough is smooth, elastic and passes the windowpane test. From there, I’ll either do a same-day ferment for around 6–8 hours or a cold ferment in the fridge for 24–72 hours, depending on how much time I have.
Once it’s fermented, I divide it into individual dough balls and leave them to proof until they’re light, airy and full of tiny bubbles. I always hand-stretch my dough rather than using a rolling pin because it preserves all the air you’ve spent hours building during fermentation, giving you that light, puffy crust.
The biggest thing I’ve learnt is that pizza dough isn’t something you can follow by the clock.
Temperature, humidity and even the flour you’re using all affect the final result, so I pay more attention to how the dough feels than the recipe itself. When it’s soft, airy and slowly springs back after a gentle poke, I know it’s ready to bake.
'The biggest thing I’ve learnt is that pizza dough isn’t something you can follow by the clock.' Lucy Rosenberg @food_bylucy
Favourite pizza topping
Pepperoni, every single time. I love how the edges curl up and crisp as they cook, and I think there’s something to be said for keeping pizza simple. For me, great pizza is all about balance rather than piling on as many toppings as possible. A classic pepperoni pizza just gets that right.
Signature topping: Steak Frites Pizza with premium steak, crispy potato strings, a rich Café de Paris butter and served with a classic peppercorn dipping sauce
A lot of my recipe ideas start with taking a dish I already love and reimagining it in a different format. Steak frites felt like a natural choice because it reminds me of my French nanna. Whenever we went out for dinner, it was one of her favourite things to order, so it’s a dish I’ve always associated with comfort, indulgence and sharing a meal together.
Lucy Rosenberg's Steak Frites Pizza. Lucy Rosenberg @food_bylucy
I loved the idea of taking all the elements that make steak frites so satisfying and translating them onto a pizza.
The steak, fries, peppercorn sauce, Café de Paris butter, shallot jam and fried capers all have a purpose and work together to recreate those familiar flavours in a completely different way.
It feels playful yet nostalgic, a nod to my French heritage and the memories of sharing meals with my nana.
Veronika Indrawan @verorocherr
Veronika Indrawan is a Sydney-based pastry chef and food creator known for her refined desserts, artistic presentation and modern approach to pastry.
Originally from Indonesia, Veronika brings a sense of warmth, creativity and cultural influence to everything she creates.
Go-to pizza dough recipe and technique
Honestly, when it comes to pizza dough, I like to keep things simple and start with a tried-and-tested recipe (Neapolitan-style pizza dough. Credits to Ooni: 368g lukewarm water, 3.5g active dry yeast, 613g “00” flour, and 18g sea salt. The one thing I always make sure I use is 00 flour – it makes a huge difference to how easily the dough stretches and the final texture of the crust.
I usually make the dough the day before and cold ferment it in the fridge for about 48 hours. It takes a bit more planning, but the extra time develops a much deeper flavour and gives the dough a lighter, airier texture.
I picked up the cold ferment tip from my friends who run Pizza Bros Erskineville. Their crust had these really beautiful blistered spots and I asked about it. It turns out they leave the dough in the fridge for two to three days. The longer it sits, the more sour it gets, so it’s really about finding what you like.
'I usually make the dough the day before and cold ferment it in the fridge for about 48 hours.' Veronika Indrawan @verorocherr
Favourite pizza topping
Don’t come for me but it’s Hawaiian. The pineapple adds this freshness and acidity that just makes you want another slice. I think it actually balances the cheese really well too.
Signature topping: The apple pie pizza
This one came straight from my pastry chef brain. When I was working as a head pastry chef, apple pie was one of our top-selling gourmet donuts and fried ice cream and I just wanted to bring that flavour back in a new way.
Veronika Indrawan's Apple Pie Pizza. Veronika Indrawan @verorocherr
The base is the pizza dough, then we go with house-made spiced apple jam, crumble, miso caramel, and vanilla ice cream on top. It’s basically a deconstructed apple pie on a pizza base. And honestly with the weather right now it just hits different, there’s something about warm crumble and cold ice cream that makes so much sense.
